Final Fantasy IV: the Novelization
by mattTheWriter072
Summary: Stripped from his position as Captain of the Red Wings, Cecil Harvey must embark on a perilous adventure full of quests, trials, friendship, betrayals, loss, and self-discovery. Will he be able to save both the Blue Planet and the Moon from Golbez's wrath?
1. The Adventure Begins

Final Fantasy IV: The Novelization

Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the Final Fantasy franchise or any characters associated with the franchise. All rights belong to Square Enix. This is not my intellectual property, and no financial gain is made from this nor will be sought. This is purely for entertainment purposes only. Most of the writing is original, but there is some dialogue that is borrowed from the DS/iOS version.

Chapter 1: The Adventure Begins

 _I stole a precious crystal from innocent people...people who guarded it with their lives yet they never really fought back against us...why did we have to do this? We were only following the King's orders, but I don't remember His Majes-_

"Lord Captain!" A man's voice shouted. "We're about to arrive back home in Baron!"

"Yeah..." the captain sighed. His face, dripping with sweat, maintained a gloomy expression as he lifted up the visor of his heavy black helmet. Despite the fact that he was a young man, his face looked as though it had aged ten years over the last few hours due to the immense grief and sorrow that consumed him. His long silver hair was pressed back against his face, even getting in his eyes, which were as blue as the crystal he just snatched. He quickly turned his head over his shoulder. He was flying through the clouds on a majestic airship, the hot summer wind softly blowing past him from behind. The captain quickly glanced at his crewmen, known as the Red Wings, who wore shining red armor. They were whispering to each other.

"It troubles the captain as well," one of them said to the man beside him.

The captain overheard what the man was saying, and he hung his head even further, gazing down at the polished wooden floor of the airship before losing himself in his thoughts again. _Why did I, Cecil Harvey, have to do this? I am a much better person than that!_

The terrible incident replayed in Cecil's mind. The city of Mysidia in flames. Forcing their way into the Tower of Prayers. The bloodbath that ensued as the mages of Mysidia fought back against the soldiers of Baron. The glistening tears in the Elder's eyes as he helplessly watched his best friends die in front of him. The pathway being cleared as the remaining mages and the Elder raised their arms in defeat. The coldness of the water crystal that gleamed in Cecil's hands. The frantic run back to the airship...

"Lord Captain," one of the men piped up, snapping Cecil out of his thoughts. "We are the Red Wings, the very pride and soul of Baron! We are supposed to protect people, not harm them!"

Cecil couldn't take it anymore.

"ENOUGH!" Cecil cried, stomping his foot on the floor, taking everyone else aback. He did agree with his crewmen's statements, but he wanted so badly to forget about the whole situation. He slowly turned around to face them.

"But Lord Captain," the same man continued in protest, "the Mysidians offered no resistance!"

"And yet we still mowed them down," the man beside him sighed and hung his head.

Cecil cleared his throat. "Listen," he said, staring at each and every one of the Red Wings. "The Mysidians knew too much about the crystal and its secrets, which could have posed a serious threat to the kingdom of Baron. His Majesty deemed it so. We need the crystals to gain prosperity for our kingdom. WE are the Red Wings of Baron, and we must do whatever is necessary to achieve this. Our king deserves utmost loyalty, so we shall not question his orders. Understand?"

"Aye, Captain," they all saluted in unison.

A few seconds of silence followed. The only sound that could be heard came from the fluttering sails as the wind breezed through them. But then there was another sound coming from the back of the ship in the form of quick, hurried footsteps. A crewman ran up to Cecil.

"Lord Captain, monsters at the fore!"

Cecil quickly whirled around to face the front of the ship. No less than eight Float Eyes flew up to face them. They were giant blue creatures with tiny bat-like wings and an enormous eye in the middle of their heads.

"Prepare for battle!" Cecil commanded to the Red Wings. They all unsheathed their swords, and Cecil whipped out his dark sword. The air was full of the sounds of hacking, slashing, shrieking and screaming as Cecil and the others hacked away at the beasts, their claws narrowly missing the humans by inches. One of the Float Eyes did manage to gouge a large bloody incision into the man beside Cecil, and he dropped to the floor, screaming in pain. Cecil slashed the last Float Eye, cutting it cleanly in half with his sword before tending to the fallen Red Wing. He dug out a vial of liquid potion and poured it down the man's throat. After five seconds, the cut was mostly healed and he stood upright.

"Thank you so much, Captain," he smiled with gratitude.

"Glad to help. Is everyone else okay?" Cecil asked.

"Aye," the other Red Wings responded.

"What is with all of those monsters? Creatures that were once docile are now our enemies, and they're invading areas inhabited with innocent people," a crewman said worriedly.

Another crewman ran up to Cecil. "We've reached Baron Castle, m'lord!"

"Prepare for landing, men!" Cecil commanded to his team.

"M'lord," the Red Wings saluted before Cecil lowered the airship to terra firma.

Baron Castle was a majestic stone structure with many towers. It was home to the King of Baron, the Red Wings, and other important residents of Baron, including Kain Highwind, who was the Commander of the Dragoons, and Rosa Joanna Farrell, a powerful White Mage and one of Cecil's childhood friends.

After the airship touched down, Cecil tiredly walked through the front entrance as he usually did, but this time there was a somber mood surrounding the castle. No one was there except for two guards in purple uniforms giving Cecil an emotionless stare.

"Cecil!"

A young man dressed in rich scarlet robes walked up to him before sweeping back his shoulder-length blond hair. Two badges were visible on his chest, indicating that he was of a much higher rank than a normal Baronian soldier. His name was Baigan, and he was the Captain of the Guards at the castle as well as the head of Baron's security forces. His eyes looked like tiny pitch-black holes, and they contrasted with the gleaming smile he always displayed.

"Ah, Cecil, I knew you'd make a triumphant return!" Baigan applauded. "Do you have the crystal in your possession?"

"Yes, the crystal is ours now," Cecil sighed as he lowered his head. "But the Mysidians didn't even resist."

"All the better, then," Baigan smiled. "One does not try to oppose the almighty will of Baron! Come, His Majesty awaits us." He gestured with his hand and they walked through the large wooden entrance doors.

The interior of the castle was quite splendid for a military base. Despite the fact that the walls were cold and gray, every other surface displayed warmth and grandeur. The floor they walked on was made of the softest cherry-red carpet available, and the railings of the stairwells were made of pure gold. The arched ceiling was so high that one could barely even see it from ground level. Busts of elite Baronian soldiers from present and past flanked both sides of the main corridor. Flaming torches hung from the walls, bathing the whole area in a soft orange light. Despite the surroundings, the thoughts that ran through Cecil's mind were anything but warm. The screams of the Mysidians seemed to echo inside his helmet, which he then lifted off his head, allowing his silver hair to fall down his shoulders. He took his first comfortable breath of air in what seemed like forever.

After Cecil and Baigan passed the stairwells that led down to the black and white magic classrooms, they walked through two more sets of double doors before Baigan stopped so suddenly that Cecil nearly toppled into him. Baigan turned around and looked Cecil in the eyes.

"A moment, my lord," Baigan told Cecil. "I need to speak to His Majesty in private." He quickly bowed before turning around and walking through the massive, heavy throne room doors.

Once the doors were completely closed, Cecil pressed his ear against them to listen to the conversation.

"Your Majesty," Cecil heard Baigan say, "I believe that our lord Cecil has developed quite a rebellious attitude."

"Thank you, Baigan," the King said in a gruff voice, "for continuing to express your utmost loyalty. I only want the crystal. Please, bring Cecil before me. We MUST do something about this!"

"As you wish, Your Majesty."

Cecil took a deep breath, but not before hearing Baigan's booming voice through the doors.

"His Majesty summons you, Cecil! Please, come in."

After taking another deep breath, Cecil pushed open the doors to the throne room. The throne room was a grand chamber, with pillars that sparkled with small flecks of gold. A few wide steps led up to the throne where the King of Baron sat. He was a rather large man in his fifties, with angry-looking eyes that clearly gave the impression that he was not someone to mess around with. The lower half of his face was dominated by a large beard that was as white as the freshest winter snow. His large golden crown studded with shiny red stones sat perfectly on the top of his head, complemented by his red and gold robes.

Cecil walked up to King Baron's throne and respectfully bowed down on one knee.

"Thank you so much, Cecil, for completing your mission," the King said with gratitude. "Present me with the crystal."

"It's right here, Your Majesty," Cecil replied as he stood upright. Baigan held his hands out and Cecil passed the water crystal to him. Baigan repeatedly turned it over in his hands, examining every single facet of the precious gem. He then handed it to the King.

"So that's the crystal," the King said with more than a hint of greed in his voice. He lovingly ran his fingers over its glass-like exterior before turning back to Cecil with a wicked grin on his face. "Your mission is complete, Cecil. You may leave now."

Cecil bowed down to the King and proceeded to walk back out of the room. Halfway to the doors, he paused as a thought crossed his mind. _I must seek the truth. I must know about his motives and what he plans to do with the crystal, and the Red Wings ought to know as well._ He then marched towards the King and Baigan, who were too busy examining their prize to anticipate Cecil, who cleared his throat loudly.

The King and Baigan gasped and jumped, and Baigan's usual smile became a glare of anger and hatred.

"What is it?" Baigan and the King questioned simultaneously. The King crossed his arms and Baigan put his hands on his hips.

"Please forgive me, Your Majesty, but what exactly do you plan to do with the crystal?" Cecil inquired. "We do not understand why we had to murder all of these innocent people just for a crystal."

The King stood up from his throne with an angry expression on his face. "Cecil," he coldly questioned, "am I noticing that your tone conveys a sign of ignorance and hatred? Hatred of your Majesty?"

Cecil was struggling to maintain a neutral expression at this point. He felt as if he had just swallowed a boulder. "N-n-no," he stammered. "I do not mean that at all! I mean-"

"Do you take me for a fool?!" The King barked and slammed his fist on the throne. "After all I've done for you, Cecil, your words wounded me. That leads to treason, and I will not tolerate that! You are dismissed from your position as Captain of the Red Wings!"

"B-but Your Majesty!" Cecil squeaked.

"Instead," King Baron announced, "I have another task for you. Deliver this ring to the village of Mist. They have been eagerly waiting to receive it for a few days now. An eidolon guards the borders. You will slay it and then deliver the ring. They will know its meaning. You will leave at first light tomorrow morning."

Suddenly, a loud bang shook the room as the doors flew open. A slim yet built man clad in shiny blue armor marched past Cecil and stopped right in front of the King himself. His helmet was shaped like a dragon's face. His own face was visible beneath the helmet, and his bright blue eyes, which were normally friendly, were narrowed and gleamed of pure anger.

"Your Majesty!" The man growled and stomped his foot on the ground. "You know that Cecil would not betray you under any circumstances!"

"Kain," King Baron spat, "how dare you barge into this room! You seem to be concerned about him, so accompany him on his mission! Now take the ring and begone!"

The King threw the small golden ring to Cecil. It had a single glimmering ruby embedded in the top. At once, the King's guards ran towards Cecil and Kain and roughly grabbed their arms, pushing them back out of the room. Cecil struggled against them, but to no avail. With one final push from the guards, Cecil was tossed out of the throne room and Kain went flying backwards a few moments later, landing on his back. The doors were locked about two seconds later.

"I'm sorry, Kain," Cecil apologized to his best friend. "I really did not mean to draw you into this."

"Nah, it's okay," Kain smiled. "We just have to slay the beast and our mission will be completed. All of this will be forgotten sooner or later, and you'll be Captain of the Red Wings again before you know it! Go get a good night's sleep and I will take care of all the preparations."

Cecil stared down at the floor, still troubled both by what happened in Mysidia and that he was stripped of his job. He weakly lifted his head up to face Kain.

"Good night."

Kain gave Cecil a reassuring pat on the shoulder before walking towards a table where the rest of the Red Wings were having a few drinks. Wanting to leave the anguish behind, Cecil began hastily making his way towards his room.

As much as he tried, Cecil just could not shake the awful memories off his mind. He felt the same pain and anguish that the Mysidians must have experienced during the massacre.

"Cecil!"

Cecil immediately froze when he heard this voice, a voice which belonged to someone he couldn't bear to face under these circumstances: Rosa, his childhood friend. He could hear her footsteps as she walked closer to him.

"Thank goodness you're all right!" Rosa proceeded to hug Cecil, but he never turned around since he feared that she would see the anguish on his face. He could tell that she was smiling due to the tone of her voice.

"We survived, but I can't say the same about the mages we fought," Cecil said. He finally turned around to look at Rosa, who had a slight frown on her face upon hearing his words. She had long golden hair that flowed down her shoulders, and a tiara made of pure crystal rested on the top of her head.

"I'll..." Rosa began to reply, but her voice caught ever so slightly. "I'll see you in your tower very soon." With that, she turned around and hurried away before Cecil could see teardrops forming in her eyes.

Cecil made his way out into the castle's northwestern courtyard, and he sighed with relief as he breathed in the cool night air. His tower barely stood out as a silhouette against the night sky, where hundreds of white stars twinkled softly. As beautiful as the sky looked, he was still very eager to get to his bedchamber. Suddenly, another good friend appeared before him.

"Well, look who's home today! Rosa was so worried about you!" The gruff voice came from a middle-aged man named Cid. His wild orange beard dominated the bottom half of his face, and his eyes were covered by large goggles that he never seemed to take off, even while asleep. He was the chief engineer in Baron's army, and he designed and built the entire fleet of airships that Baron prided itself on.

"Please, whatever you do, don't make her cry again," Cid continued, "otherwise you'll have me to answer to, got it? Speaking of girls, how are my lovely airships doing? Burn out any engines?" He laughed and gave Cecil a playful slap on the back. It was only then that he noticed Cecil's rather mute expression. "Is everything okay, bud?"

Cecil let out a deep sigh. He did need someone to talk to about what had happened, to hopefully purge the thoughts from is mind. Other than Rosa, Cid was the one that Cecil had the closest friendship with.

Cecil told Cid the whole story, from the moment he received the mission all the way up to the encounter with Rosa from only two minutes ago. Cid was getting angrier and angrier with each word that came out of his friend's mouth.

"How will the Red Wings survive without you?!" Cid spluttered after Cecil finished his story. "Obviously something is up with His Majesty. He's been ordering me to start building warships! What is he thinking?" He violently shook his head. "And now he's sending you away to Mist! Well, take care of yourself, kiddo. I must go home otherwise that daughter of mine will want me dead!" Cid waved to Cecil just before he dashed into the castle.

Cecil walked through the door to his tower. As he ascended several staircases that led up to his bedchamber, he grew more and more tired with every step. When he finally stood beside his bed, he removed his heavy and dirty armor, changed into his pyjamas, and burrowed beneath his bedsheets. No matter how hard he tried, sleep just would not come. His eyes remained open, the wretched thoughts still crossing his mind.

 _What happened to His Majesty, the man who took me in as an orphan and raised me like his own son? Why is he suddenly so greedy over the crystals? He made me rob a coveted possession of a peaceful civilization. I cannot betray him, though. I consider him as my father. Even though he ordered me to take on this mission, I cannot forgive him for what we've done._

As soon as Cecil closed his eyes, he heard the door open quietly, followed by soft footsteps. He steeled himself to look at Rosa as she strode over to the side of his bed.

"Cecil, what is going on? First you were sent off to Mysidia, and now you have to journey to Mist to slay a beast? Did something happen in Mysidia?" Her voice was quiet but accusing. Cecil rolled over to face the wall, and his eyes counted the bricks and traced the perimeter of the window. Anything to get his mind off of this topic.

"No, it's nothing," Cecil said blankly.

"Please don't look away," Rosa gently whispered as she laid a hand on his left shoulder. The hand slowly traveled down the length of his arm before their fingers were intertwined. Cecil closed his eyes just so that he would not have to look into hers.

"In Mysidia, we stole a crystal from innocent people," Cecil began. "I guess this is what being a Dark Knight leads to. I've worn this armor for so long now that there's no light in me whatsoever. Not even in my heart."

Rosa lightly squeezed his hand. "You're not like that, Cecil."

Cecil finally willed himself to sit up, and he opened his eyes to look Rosa straight in the eye.

"I cannot defy the King," Cecil said. "I'm a coward who cannot even defy orders he knows he should not follow." He closed his eyes and lowered his head in shame.

"The Cecil I know would never whimper like this," Rosa berated as she lifted his head up so that he was forced to look at her. "Not the Cecil who I love."

Cecil let out a small gasp and his heart started beating really fast. He proceeded to stand up, and Rosa backed away ever so slightly.

"You leave tomorrow morning for Mist, am I right?" Rosa asked.

"Kain will be with me," Cecil reassured her. "I'll be fine." As he finished that sentence, he involuntarily pulled Rosa into a tight embrace, and he held her there for as long as he could.

"Be careful," Rosa whispered to him as they finally let go. She then turned and fled from the room before Cecil could se her crying again.

The room fell completely silent again, and Cecil crawled into bed. "Thank you, Rosa," he whispered to himself, "but I know what I have become. We can never be together." And with that, he finally managed to drift off to sleep for the remainder of the night.

...

The next morning, Cecil woke up as the sun shone its first sliver of golden light over the horizon. He donned his heavy armor again and he hurried down to the entrance hall, where Kain would hopefully be waiting for him.

Kain was already there, leaning up against a pillar. He smiled when his friend arrived.

"Hey, my friend," Kain cheerfully said as he patted Cecil on the back. "Are you feeling better?"

"Yeah, I think so," Cecil replied.

"So, ready for some combat?" Kain asked while he pulled his helmet down over his glimmering eyes.

"Always," Cecil grinned. Kain always knew how to brighten up anybody's mood.

"There's nothing to fear. Lead the way," Kain mockingly bowed before sheathing his lance behind his back. Cecil did the same with his dark sword. The guards opened the wide front gates and watched Cecil and Kain as the two friends set off on their adventure.

 _And so the dark knight Cecil, stripped of his command of the Red Wings, set out for the distant Valley of Mist._

 _Together with Kain, commander of the Dragoons, he would pursue a faceless quarry and a chance for redemption._

 _The advent of the airship marked the realization of mankind's most ancient dream. But man is a creature seldom sated, and he was quick to dream anew._

 _With the unparalleled might of the Red Wings, Baron's military soon reigned supreme. Why, then, does its King now seek the Crystals?_

 _And why have fearsome monsters suddenly begun to overrun the once calm land?_

 _If the Crystals know, they shed no answers, only their pure and silent light._


	2. Mist

Chapter 2: Mist

The walk to the Mist Cave was quite short, and their journey took them through a vast open field and between two small mountain ranges. Along the way, they kept themselves busy by slaying the random beasts they ran across, mainly Float Eyes and Sword Rats. The weak monsters were no match for Cecil's dark sword and Kain's lance.

Before long, they reached an opening in the mountain, the entrance to the Mist Cave. The reason behind its namesake was quite obvious: once they stepped inside, a cloud of fog that went up to their knees blanketed the ground, making it difficult for them to navigate the rocky ledges and narrow wooden bridges. The ceiling glimmered with condensation, and every now and then they could hear the plopping sound of water droplets hitting the floor. The few monsters that they encountered, goblins, larvae and sand moths, were just as easy to kill as the ones from before. They also made use of the chests that were scattered around the cave to get healing potions. All was going well until they were about halfway through the cave.

"TURN BACK NOW!" A voice hissed which made them jump. They looked around, and they could not see anyone else, no matter which direction they looked in.

"Hmph," Kain muttered, putting his hands on his hips. "Must have been the wind or something..."

They continued onward, and after a half-hour of exploring the cave and slaying monsters, they reached the last chamber, where they could see the blue sky directly ahead of them.

"We're almost there," Cecil said while smiling. "Our mission is just about over!"

"This is child's play," Kain said. "You'll be Captain again before you know it, buddy."

As soon as Cecil set a foot outside, however, an invisible force sent Cecil crashing into Kain and they both flew backwards, landing hard on the floor of the cave.

"MEN OF BARON!" The same voice screamed and echoed off the walls. "Leave at once and no harm will befall you."

"Show yourself!" Kain yelled.

"So you're ignoring my warning?" The voice asked.

"We must deliver this ring to the village of Mist under the King's orders!" Cecil protested.

"SO BE IT!" The voice boomed, and the fog became much denser and it swirled around them like a tornado.

"The mist is gathering!" Cecil gasped.

Suddenly, the mist solidified and both men were knocked backwards once again. The mist transformed into a large dragon, who let out a chilling scream. It had a long slender neck and cold blue eyes that stared at its new foes. The small orange wings on its back fluttered ever so slightly as it swung its head around, spraying Cecil and Kain with cold mist. Cecil hacked at the monster with his sword and Kain jumped high up into the air, slamming his feet down on the dragon several seconds later.

The men returned to a fighting stance, but the Mist Dragon had a trick up its sleeve. It dispersed into a large cloud of mist that hovered right in front of them.

"What is it doing?" Cecil asked, looking at Kain. Kain said nothing, but his expression was just as puzzled as Cecil's.

Cecil tried to swing at the seemingly harmless mist, but the cloud violently swirled and a blast of freezing ice rained down on them.

"Quick, potion!" Cecil yelled as Kain reached into his satchel to dig out two potion vials. They each guzzled one, and a surge of warmth instantly flooded through their bodies just before the dragon solidified again. After a minute of hacking, slashing, and jumping, the dragon finally melted away into a large puddle.

"We did it!" Cecil whooped.

"Let's hurry so that we can go back home!" Kain exclaimed. "That was so easy."

They sprinted through the exit, and they were bathed in sunlight again. The small town of Mist was dead ahead.

Cecil and Kain received some looks from the villagers since they were dressed in strange armor. But that was the least of their worries, as the ring that King Baron gave them began to glow.

"The ring!" Cecil gasped in surprise. It was quickly getting hotter and hotter, and Cecil couldn't hold on to it any longer. At once, several Bombs, orange ball-shaped monsters that spontaneously combust, were released from the ring. The villagers screamed in terror as the Bombs screeched happily and zoomed through the air, igniting everything that they could find. In mere seconds, the entire town of Mist was ablaze.

"This is what we were sent to do?" Cecil whispered. In less than two days, he was a murderer all over again. He fell to his knees, too weak to stand up.

"The King wished this village torched," Kain bitterly said.

"But why? Why did he make us commit this crime?" Cecil asked. He then threw his arms up in the air. "WHYYYYYYY?!"

Amidst the pandemonium, they heard quiet sobs coming from a young girl to their left. She was a child with curly green hair and big blue eyes, which were constantly shedding tears. They flowed down her pale cheeks like two raging waterfalls. She was kneeling over an older woman.

"Mother, you can't die," the girl wept. "Just because your dragon did..."

Kain stared at her. "I've heard of their kind. People who can conjure eidolons. Summoners."

Cecil looked at Kain and then back at the girl. "Then that means that we killed her mother because we slew her dragon...?"

The girl heard every word they said, and she turned around and angrily stared at them.

"You killed my mother's dragon?!" The girl screamed at them.

"We didn't know this would happen to your mother. Please forgive us," Cecil tried to apologize.

"His Majesty sent us to kill off all the summoners," Kain sighed.

"No way..." Cecil's voice cracked. He fell to his knees again.

"We're loyal to the King," Kain told Cecil, "so we'll need to kill the girl as well."

"Kain!" Cecil screamed. With newfound energy, he leaped up and tried to tackle Kain, but he only slid back a few inches. "She's a child!"

"So you betray your King?" Kain asked.

"Of course!" Cecil yelled angrily. "Any King who would wish for this is no King of mine!"

Kain smiled. "Somehow I thought you'd say that. I have debt to owe to the King, but I will not disgrace the name of the Dragoons. Baron's army is the world's largest and mightiest. Our flight means nothing if we remain alone. Remember, we're doing this for Rosa, too."

"Then you're with me?" Cecil asked. "Thank you."

"I'm not doing this for you," Kain replied. "It's far too dangerous here. What of the girl?" He looked at the girl who, for all this time, was frantically staring back and forth at Kain, Cecil, and her deceased mother.

"She's coming with us," Cecil asserted. He then walked over to her and knelt down to her level with his hand outstretched. "Come, it's not safe here. I will not hurt you. Take my hand."

"No!" The girl screamed and backed away.

"We have no time! You must come with us NOW!" Kain commanded. The girl scurried off and ran through the flaming grass, and they chased after her.

"Leave me alone!" She turned around and glared at them before putting her hands together. A bright light began to radiate from them. "I HATE YOU! YOU KILLED MY MOM!"

The ground began to shake, and a giant man appeared before Cecil and Kain. He was at least twenty feet tall, and he had fists that were twice as large as Cecil's head. The giant let out an almighty roar and banged both of his massive fists on the ground. The ground split wide open, and the earthquake that followed was enormous. Cecil, Kain, and the girl were helplessly and painfully bounced around on the shaking earth, and any buildings that were still standing were flattened in the tremors. Rocks and bricks rained down to the ground, and a huge piece of a stone chimney landed on Cecil's head and knocked him out cold.


	3. The Desert Oasis

Chapter 3: The Desert Oasis

Cecil soon awoke to find himself sprawled out onto a grassy field. He must have been lying there for several hours, since the sun was just about to slip below the horizon in a dazzling red light. His head painfully throbbed with every beat of his heart, and he struggled to lift himself up. Once he did, he frantically looked around for Kain.

"Kain?" He started to walk around and search his immediate surroundings. "Kain?" He called out for him, louder this time. Finally, he cupped his hands around his mouth. "KAIN!" There was no answer.

The girl from Mist lay about ten feet away from him, and she was completely unconscious. She must have been exhausted from all the power that was required to summon the monster. Cecil knelt down beside her, and he heard a pulse.

"Thank goodness," he sighed with relief. "You're safe."

Cecil lifted her up and carried her in his arms. She was surprisingly light.

"Kain, I pray that you're safe as well," he added. He then looked off into the distance and he saw a small cluster of buildings across a large desert. A town.

The town was called Kaipo, also known as the Desert Oasis since there was a small lake just behind it. Once Cecil arrived at this destination, he quickly scanned the area, looking for an inn among the pueblo-like buildings. The girl was still asleep, comfortably resting in Cecil's arms.

When he located the Inn, he walked up to the innkeeper who sat behind his desk.

"Welcome!" The innkeeper radiantly smiled at Cecil before he noticed the girl in Cecil's arms. "Oh my gosh, is she hurt? And she's only a child! Please, get her to a bed! Don't worry about payment."

"Thanks," Cecil sighed. He was nearly as exhausted as the girl was. He laid her down on a bed in the corner of the room, carefully placing the sheets over her body. Only four seconds have passed before she finally stirred and opened her eyes.

"Hey, are you all right?" Cecil asked with more than a hint of concern in his voice. The girl turned to him, and her confused expression was quickly replaced by an angry glare. She quickly turned her head around and burrowed under the sheets so that Cecil could be out of her sight.

Cecil tried to start a conversation with her. "My, uh, my name is Cecil. What's yours?" The girl stayed under the sheets, not saying a word.

"I'm so sorry about your loss. I really did not know that this would happen to your mother," Cecil tried to apologize. "But would you at least let me keep you safe? I am a different person from what you know me as." She still never responded. Through the narrow windows, Cecil could see that night had fallen. Still thinking about Kain, he removed his helmet and laid down on his bed, hoping that in the morning he could find his best friend and know the name of this girl.

...

"There you are, Cecil! We found you!"

Cecil and the girl awoke with a start, and the latter let out a loud, terrified gasp. Three Baronian soldiers and their General had infiltrated the Inn and they walked right up to them, their eyes mainly focused on the little girl.

"We are here under the King's orders," said the General, who was dressed in a crimson uniform. His crew wore the same purple uniforms as the castle guards. "Surrender the girl, and we can finish this peacefully. The villagers of Mist must not be allowed to live. They are a threat to our kingdom!" He then brandished his sword, pointing it straight at the girl's head.

"Well, guess what?" Cecil growled as he withdrew his sword. "I won't let you!"

He violently swung his sword at the soldiers, managing to gouge one of their uniforms. Seeing the anger in Cecil's eyes, the three soldiers screamed and ran out the door before he pointed his sword straight at the General's neck. Just as he was ready to strike, the General turned and sprinted away without closing the door behind him.

Cecil placed his sword on the floor and turned to the girl, who was cowering and whimpering in the corner of the room. Seeing that the intruders had left, she took a deep breath and crawled over to him.

"I'm really sorry," the girl apologized softly. "Are you okay?"

Cecil nodded while he tried to catch his breath. "There's nothing that deserves an apology. It is I who've wronged you, and apologies cannot right what I have done."

"But...you protected me," the girl looked up at him with a smile. "My name is Rydia."

"Rydia..." Cecil smiled. "That's a pretty name. It suits you."

Rydia giggled before climbing back into her bed. "Thank you, Cecil. What will we do tomorrow?" She sat back against the headboard.

"I have to find Kain," Cecil said as he got into bed and pulled the sheets over him. "He was the man who accompanied me before. We have to find allies who are willing to fight Baron, and I have to find my friend Rosa." He looked at Rydia, who was beginning to close her eyes. "Good night, Rydia."

"Night, Cecil..." she trailed off and started snoring quietly just seconds later.

...

"Cecil, wake up!" Rydia lightly shook Cecil's body, and he groggily opened his eyes. "I've been awake for almost an hour. Come! We need to find your friends!"

"Okay, okay..." Cecil moaned as he slowly rose up to a standing position. He began dressing up in his heavy armor once again. "Did you sleep well, Rydia?"

Rydia laughed. "If I didn't, would I be this excited to go with you?"

"I guess not," Cecil shrugged. He thanked the Innkeeper and they stepped outside into the hot desert sun. A light breeze blew a thin layer of sand over the streets of Kaipo. The town was bustling with people, who at first seemed to be talking about whatever they pleased, but then Cecil realized that they were actually gossiping over one thing.

"Did you hear about a girl from Baron?"

"A case of Desert Fever, I heard."

"A woman who is affiliated with royalty!"

"All she keeps saying is 'Cecil' over and over in her sleep!"

Cecil immediately gasped In horror. He tapped the nearest citizen on the shoulder.

"Excuse me," Cecil asked, "but do you know where the girl is?"

"She's in a house situated in the northeast corner of the town," he replied. "The owners saw her condition and immediately took her in."

"Thanks," Cecil nodded. "Come, Rydia!" He grabbed her hand and they sprinted through the town towards the house.

After frantically banging on the door, a woman with curly brown hair opened it and smiled at Cecil and Rydia.

"Hello," she greeted them. "How may I help you two?"

"I heard that a girl from Baron is here," Cecil firmly told her. "I need to see her at once."

"My husband found her collapsed outside of the village. I think she has Desert Fever. Do you know her?"

"Yes, she's a friend of mine," Cecil replied.

"By all means, you can see her," the woman smiled and gestured to a staircase near the back of the room. Once Cecil and Rydia reached the second floor, they pushed open a door in front of them. The room they entered was bathed in sunlight, and the window was slightly open to allow the breeze to pass through. Cecil then turned and saw who occupied the bed, and his worst fear was confirmed.

"No! Rosa!" Cecil ran over to her and buried his face in his hands. "Ohhh, Rosa..." He helplessly fell to his knees and looked at her. She was shivering from the fever, and several large boils covered the upper half of her face. Her tiara had been taken off and placed on a table beside her bed.

"Cecil..." she weakly moaned in her sleep. His heart felt like it weighed a ton, and he struggled to stand up. Rydia just stood there in shock.

The woman entered the room and knelt down beside Rosa to check on her.

"Excuse me," Cecil cleared his throat, getting the woman's attention. "What will cure her?"

The woman walked over to a bookshelf and pulled out a large book. After fumbling through the pages, she began to read from it.

"To cure Desert Fever, the patient needs to be exposed to the light of a Sand Pearl. They can only be found in Antlion caves." She closed the book and continued. "There is a cave not too far from here, but you will have to meet Prince Edward who lives in Damcyan Castle to explain your situation. You can reach Damcyan via the Underground Waterway."

"Thank you so much for taking care of her," Cecil nodded. "Will you please watch over her until I arrive with the pearl?"

"Of course," the woman beamed. Cecil knelt down beside Rosa once again and lightly kissed her on the cheek. His lips burned with the heat of the fever.

"I love you, Rosa. Please wait for me," Cecil whispered before he softly closed the door and walked back down the stairs.


	4. Meeting the Great Sage

Chapter 4: Meeting the Great Sage

As soon as they left the house, Cecil and Rydia entered the item shop to buy the potions, phoenix downs, ethers, and everything else that they would need for the treacherous journey ahead. While they shopped, they heard two young women conversing near them.

"Did you hear the news? The daughter of the old sage Tellah has been taken away by a bard from Damcyan!"

"Anna?!" The other woman replied.

"Yes. Tellah is getting very old, and he's causing her worry!"

After stocking up on supplies, Cecil and Rydia left Kaipo and they walked across the hot desert on their way to Damcyan.

"Who was that friend of yours, Cecil?" Rydia asked.

"Rosa," he sighed. "She, along with the Dragoon man, were always friends of mine ever since early childhood. We all grew up in Baron Castle together and the King treated us as if we were his own children. She's an excellent White Mage."

"Once we get the Sand Pearl," Rydia smiled, "she'll be good as new! Come on!" She took Cecil's hand and they began running in the direction of Damcyan Castle.

Eventually they reached the entrance to a cave. The air inside was damp and refreshingly cool. The area was flooded with water except for a number of small islands, which were connected by makeshift wooden bridges. The small monsters were relatively easy to defeat, and Rydia felt herself quickly getting stronger.

"You'll be a true warrior in no time," Cecil grinned as Rydia defeated a Sword Rat with her long metal rod.

They continued walking through the cave until they reached another rickety bridge. However, someone was blocking the path.

An old man dressed in large pink and purple robes was pacing back and forth, tapping his long staff on the ground like a cane. His mouth was hidden by an enormous white beard, and his bushy white hair seemed to stick out in each and every direction. A pair of purple sunglasses hid his eyes from view.

He then saw Cecil and Rydia cautiously walking towards him.

"You," he said in a very gruff voice and pointed at Cecil. "You're the Dark Knight, am I correct? Will you please lend me your aid?"

"What happened?" Cecil asked him.

"My lovely daughter Anna was tricked by some crazy bard and he took her away to Damcyan Castle! We have little time," he replied. "I sense that there's something sinister about this man."

"Anna..." Cecil racked his brain and he recalled hearing the conversation in the item shop. "You must be Tellah, then!"

"The very same!" Tellah nodded. "I was looking for my daughter, but I cannot get through the waterway. A large monster is blocking the exit, and my magic alone is no match for this beast. With your dark sword, we should be able to defeat it! And you," he smiled at Rydia, "you must be a summoner, am I right? And one with lots of potential by the looks of it!"

"We have to reach Damcyan, too," Cecil told him.

"Then let's make haste!" Tellah smiled and he led the new trio deeper into the cave.

It didn't take long for Cecil and Rydia to witness Tellah's power as he unleashed large bolts of lightning down on a group of small enemies, wiping them out instantly.

The next hour quickly passed by as the trio battled more enemies. Occasionally they would find small abandoned treasure chests that previous explorers had left behind. Once they entered a new area of the cave, Rydia let out a squeal of delight as she found something glittering behind a large rock. It was an Ice Rod, and it had a delicate sapphire on the tip that sparkled with cold frost.

"I could learn the Blizzard spell!" Rydia cried happily. "Why on earth would anyone abandon a weapon such as this?"

"Whoever had it in his possession must have been forced to leave it behind for some reason," Cecil answered just as they ran into a new group of enemies. With Cecil's sword, Rydia's Ice Rod, and Tellah's magic staff, even the biggest enemies were no match for them at this point.

After about three more hours of hiking and battling, the trio quickly grew tired. Their aim weakened considerably while battling, and Rydia kept stumbling over rocks, necessitating the use of their potion supply to heal Rydia's wounds. Finally, they reached a small chamber which glowed with an eerie blue light. Four glowing crystal-like rocks surrounded the remains of Tellah's previous campfire, which smelled like charred wood.

"The magic field cast by these four rocks will repel monsters," Tellah explained to Cecil and Rydia. "Stay within them, and you are safe. We will use my tent here." He dug out a large bag that was apparently hiding beneath his thick robes, and he set up a tent that was big enough for the trio to fit comfortably inside. After unrolling blankets and setting down pillows, he gathered some small logs from nearby and brought them inside, and with a spell they were set on fire.

"That should keep us nice and warm," Tellah sighed as he rubbed his hands above the glowing campfire. "We should rest for the night, because we have a long day ahead of us tomorrow." Rydia laid down and immediately fell asleep as soon as her head touched the pillow. Her Ice Rod lay right beside her. Cecil and Tellah sat across from each other in front of the fire, watching Rydia's chest rise and fall beneath the sheets.

"Fast asleep already, is she?" Tellah chuckled softly. "She must have been exhausted. Where is she from?"

"She is a summoner from the village of Mist," Cecil said.

"Indeed. Then my eyes were not mistaken," Tellah nodded. "She has great potential. With practice and training, she should be able to master many spells in her future years. And such a cute little face." He smiled warmly at both Cecil and the sleeping Rydia. "She reminds me of Anna when she was young."

"Your daughter?" Cecil asked.

"My one and only," Tellah replied, and he shed a single tear that fell out of his eye and evaporated in the fire. "She was deceived by some wandering bard and he whisked her away to Damcyan, all because I refused to give them my blessing." He decided to change the subject. "So, what brings you to Damcyan, may I ask?"

"A friend of mine is suffering from Desert Fever," Cecil gravely replied, "and she needs a Sand Pearl before it's too late. Could you tell me about this monster we must face tomorrow?"

Tellah sighed. "Then haste drives you as well. Even my magic could not overwhelm this foe. It is a monstrous creature, with eight tentacles and a head that's as big as you or I. It guards the exit to the waterway."

"We must come up with a plan, then," Cecil declared. "I could attack its tentacles, you could use Thunder spells, and Rydia could summon a chocobo to attack the head."

"Cecil, I must let you know," Tellah whispered, "that my magic has been weakening with age. My most powerful spells just aren't coming to me anymore, so that's why I'm so grateful to have you here. Now, let's rest. We must slay this beast tomorrow so that you could help your friend and I could find my Anna."

...

"So, Rydia, here's what we'll do," Cecil explained their strategy again to her while eating some energy bars that Tellah had with him.

"You must keep your distance from it," Tellah said, "and let the chocobo do the work for you. Got it?"

"I'll do my best," Rydia nodded.

"Let's hurry," Cecil ordered, and they scrambled to clean up the area and pack up their supplies. They hiked for a few more hours before Cecil finally saw a shaft of sunlight ahead of them. Once they walked through the mouth of the passageway and out into an open field, Tellah and Rydia sighed with relief when they felt the warmth of the sun on their skin after spending more than a day underground.

"Savor this moment," Tellah said, "because we're going underground again. This final cave ahead of us is the monster's lair."

Once they set foot in the cave, they could hear a loud roaring sound coming from around a bend. They entered the enormous cavern, which was dominated by a large pool of water, but the edge dropped out of sight and the water constantly rushed towards it. A waterfall.

"How are we going to get down there?" Cecil nervously asked.

"I used to have a rope, but it was mangled by the beast," Tellah answered. "We'll have to jump."

"WHAT?!" Rydia screamed in terror. "You can't be serious!"

"We have to save my friend and Tellah's daughter," Cecil told her, "so there's no other way. Just hold on to me."

Rydia climbed up onto Cecil's back, and they made their way towards the edge. That was when Cecil and Rydia realized that the waterfall was the least of their worries.

A gigantic octopus occupied the lake, which was at least fifty feet down. It was a large orange creature with eight slimy tentacles, and several razor-sharp teeth could be seen poking out of its gigantic mouth. It glared up at the trio, now that they had invaded its territory.

"We must jump now and fight that monster," Cecil ordered. "On the count of three. One, two, THREE!" They leaped off the edge of the waterfall, and Rydia let out a bloodcurdling scream as they fell. As soon as they hit the water, the monster swung a tentacle at them.

"It's the Octomammoth!" Tellah gasped. "Thunder! Thunder! THUNDER!" Several lightning bolts zapped the Octomammoth's head, and it screamed in agony. Rydia began summoning chocobos to kick the monster in the head, and Cecil madly swung his sword in every direction, hacking and slashing at the tentacles one by one.

The monster quickly began to get angry, and its speed and agility proved to be even more powerful than previously thought as it knocked Cecil in the head and sent him flying backward, landing hard with a big splash.

"The beast is weakening, but don't let your guard down," Tellah warned once three tentacles remained. "A wounded beast is a dangerous one!"

After another minute of zapping, slashing, and summoning chocobos, all of the Octomammoth's tentacles were severed and the beast let out a loud cry before sinking down to the depths of the lake.

"We did it!" Tellah whooped. "The exit is just beyond this waterfall! Let's hurry!"


	5. The Bard

Chapter 5: The Bard

The trio felt the hot desert sun on their faces as they emerged above ground again. Right in front of them stood Damcyan Castle, a tall, majestic palace that was constructed from beautiful white marble.

"We're here," Tellah sighed with relief. "Now let's go and find Anna!"

As soon as they began to walk towards the castle, a loud rumble was heard from overhead as a series of familiar-looking airships gracefully traversed through the bright-blue sky.

"The Red Wings!" Cecil gasped.

Suddenly, a fiery object dropped out of the leading airship, and it landed on the roof of the castle before the entire structure exploded into a massive fireball.

"They're bombing the castle!" Rydia screamed. "Come on!" She grabbed Tellah and Cecil with both of her hands and they sprinted towards what was left of the castle, a burning, smoking pile of rubble.

"ANNA!" Tella cried. "ANNA!"

They ran through what was left of the entrance gates and Cecil banged on the door, which simply fell away from its frame. There was broken rock everywhere, along with the bodies of guards, servants, and even a small child. Cecil winced and he closed his eyes, not wanting to see any more of the carnage. They tripped over broken stairs and mangled furniture before they finally arrived at what was left of the throne room.

The destruction was catastrophic. The ceiling and most of the walls were completely destroyed, and what used to be soft red carpet was completely blackened by fire, soot, and remaining gunpowder.

The king and queen of Damcyan were nowhere in sight, and the only two people there were a pale young man who wore regal robes of red, yellow, and green, as well as the body of a young girl impaled by an arrow...

"ANNA!" Tellah began to run towards the girl, but the young man dashed in front of him with his arms outstretched.

"You!" Tellah growled as he recognized his face. "You're that filthy bard who was responsible for all of this, aren't you? I'll get you!" He then retrieved his staff from his large robes.

"No, no, please, you don't understand!" The young man pleaded, but Tellah swung his staff and hit the man in the back, who flinched with pain.

"I won't listen to your words," Tellah coldly snarled as he kicked the man in the stomach. His delicate frame crumpled to the ground. "YOU SPOONY BARD!"

"Stop, Tellah!" Cecil pleaded. Tellah quickly turned to Cecil and cast a fire spell on him. The flames weren't powerful, but they were enough to make Cecil jump back to avoid getting harmed.

"Please, things are not as you believe," the bard cried, and fresh tears streamed down his perfect face.

"I see quite well how they are," Tellah growled as he struck the man in the back again. He curled up into a ball to protect his head.

"I beg you, hear my words!" The man whimpered, his arms now over his curled-up body.

"CHOKE ON YOUR WORDS!" Tellah roared as he raised his staff high above the man's head.

"Please stop, I implore you!" The man begged as he quickly stood up.

"Know this pain..." Tellah growled as he kicked him in the chest. "Anna's pain..."

"Edward...Father..." A weak female voice crackled from behind. "Please stop..."

Tellah dropped his staff and immediately ran towards his daughter. She was breathing laboriously. Her turquoise eyes were dry and tired, but they still shone with happiness at the sight of her father.

"Oh, Anna," he smiled at the sound of her voice. "There's life left in you yet!"

"Father," Anna croaked, "Edward...he is...the Prince of Damcyan. He disguised himself as a...bard to avoid attention. Please forgive me, Father...for running off with him. Edward...I'm in...love with him, Father." Tellah quickly glanced at Edward with a glare of hatred before turning back to his daughter. "But I could not stay without my father's blessing. I was about to return when..."

"The Red Wings laid siege to us," Edward continued. "And they were led by a man named Golbez."

"Golbez?" Cecil asked. This was new information.

"He's a figure clad in armor of deepest night," Edward said. "His strength is beyond that of mortal man."

Cecil then wondered what would happen if he were still Captain of the Red Wings. "And the Red Wings' purpose?"

"They came for the Fire Crystal...our crystal," Edward began to sob. "And then they rained fire upon us. My mother and father were killed, and then Anna tried to shield me from their arrows."

Tellah looked down at Anna. "You...you loved this man that much?!"

"Father, please forgive me. I was...so self...ish..." Anna said, gazing up at her father's eyes before moving them to Edward. "Edward...I...love you." Her eyes closed and the peaceful smile was still set on her face as she took her last breath.

"Anna!" Tellah sobbed. "ANNA!" Cecil angrily punched his fist into the ground. They were too late to save her. Rydia shed a single tear, having witnessed death with her very own eyes for the second time in just a few days. Tellah wiped away his tears and held his daughter's lifeless body close to him. He then turned to Edward with a rather angry expression on his face.

"This...Golbez," Tellah muttered, "tell me more of him."

"I've heard he came to Baron only recently," Edward sobbed, clutching Anna's limp hand. "It seems that he's using the Red Wings to steal crystals!" He sniffled as a large tear formed in his eye and fell onto Anna's chest.

"Tears do not bring back the dead, boy!" Tellah growled. "Anna's death must be avenged! I'll find this Golbez!" He then turned around and prepared to leave.

"Tellah, not alone!" Cecil cried and ran up to Tellah before grabbing his arm.

"She was not YOUR daughter!" Tellah snapped and forcibly wrenched his arm out of Cecil's grip. "Her killer will die with my own hands!" He then strode away and vanished out of sight.

"Anna..." Edward continued to sob as he set Anna's body down on the floor. Rydia, who remained quiet this whole time, marched up to Edward and stared at him with a mean expression.

"Coward," she scoffed while pointing an accusing finger at his face. "You're a man, aren't you? A grown man! I lost my mother, and I'm not crying anymore!"

"Rydia!" Cecil exclaimed, taken aback by her sudden outburst.

Edward looked up at Rydia. "You're right. I am a coward, just as you say. That is why I'm just going to stay at Anna's side forever. It doesn't matter anymore. Nothing does!"

Cecil ran up to Edward and roughly pulled him upright before giving him a hard slap on the cheek.

"You are now the King of Damcyan," Cecil glared at him, "so start taking responsibility! You owe it to your people, and you owe it to Anna." He pointed down at Anna to emphasize his point. "I really, really need your help now."

Edward gasped at Cecil, rubbing his face where Cecil had hit him. "But how can I...help you?"

"My name is Cecil. A friend of mine is sick with Desert Fever in Kaipo, and she needs a Sand Pearl if she is to live. For that, I have need of your aid."

"You need...my aid...?" Edward said in disbelief.

"Yes. Rosa's life depends on it," Cecil said. "I'm begging you."

Edward nodded. "This woman you speak of...she must mean a great deal to you. As Anna did...as Anna did to me. In a cave far to the east dwells a monstrous creature known as an Antlion. The pearl you seek forms from the fluid the Antlion secretes as it lays its eggs in the sand. There is no overland route to its den. We have to cross the northern shoals in my hovercraft to get there. It can bear us across the surf to Kaipo as well. We must hurry."

Cecil and Rydia walked back down to ground level, while Edward took one last look at Anna's deceased body.

"Farewell...my love." He then turned around to meet up with the others, never looking back at her even once.


	6. The Cure for Desert Fever

Chapter 6: The Cure for Desert Fever

"We should be out of here by sunset," Edward reassured Cecil as they parked the hovercraft on a small beach and began to walk into the Antlion's cave. The cave was rather brightly lit, and certain areas were illuminated like a spotlight as the sun shone through the small openings in the roof. As they journeyed deeper into the cave, the pathway sloped downwards and they wandered through what seemed like a maze of dark, narrow passageways. Thankfully, Edward knew the area like the back of his hand since he journeyed down here several times when he was younger.

"Don't worry," Edward reassured Cecil and Rydia. "The Antlion here is very tame. She loves it when humans feed her and rub her back. She's good with children as well, and I used to play fetching games with her when I was a little tot."

Before long, they entered a large cavern, and the pathway sloped down to a small pit in the very center. The Antlion's two burnt-orange pincers were barely sticking up above the ground.

"This is where the Antlion lays her eggs," Edward said as they reached the bottom. Just beyond the pincers, a large pile of round, silvery-white eggs gleamed in the shaft of sunlight that streamed in from the ceiling. A small light-brown gem could be seen amongst the eggs.

"Hello, cutie," Edward smiled at the Antlion, who was starting to emerge from the ground. One of her massive bulging eyeballs stared at Edward. "I promise I will bring you a treat next time. I just need one of your pearls for a friend, that's all." He began to reach for the Sand Pearl in the pile of eggs.

The Antlion responded by snapping her pincers together, and Edward jumped out of the way just in time. She burst out of the ground and revealed herself. Four spider-like limbs supported her scaly body, and her large mouth was lined with several rows of jagged teeth. Her gigantic ivory pincers clicked together, ready to strike again.

"Rydia, with me!" Cecil ordered as they charged at the beast.

Cecil slashed at the pincers and severed them before they could cause any more damage. The Antlion let out a roar of pain and tried to take a bite out of Cecil's foot, but he backed away before she even got close. Rydia swung her Ice Rod at the monster, blasting it with freezing ice, and then Cecil plunged his sword through the creature's head. A strange purple liquid oozed out of the monster as she roared and began to disintegrate into the sand.

"I don't understand," Edward moaned. "Why would an Antlion try to harm us?"

"Monster populations have been dramatically increasing over the last while," Cecil replied, "and creatures that were once harmless are becoming hostile. Clearly, something is afoot."

Rydia turned towards them. "Cecil," she reminded him, "we must give the pearl to Rosa!"

"Right," Cecil said, not wanting to waste a single second. "Let's go!"

Edward bent down and scooped up the Sand Pearl before they walked back to his hovercraft.

...

The southward journey back to Kaipo was rather distressing for Edward, since Kaipo was not only Anna's hometown, but also the place where they met before he brought her to Damcyan Castle.

"Anna," Edward whispered quietly under the whirring of the hovercraft's engine, "I'll spend the night at our special place by the lake. I will always love you, even though you are just a memory now."

After what seemed like several hours to Cecil, they finally arrived at Kaipo. Edward parked his hovercraft and Cecil immediately sprang out, leading the way as he sprinted through the entrance archway and towards the house where Rosa was staying. Rydia and Edward struggled to keep up with Cecil. After knocking loudly on the door, Cecil opened it before anyone inside could answer.

"We have the Sand Pearl," Cecil announced. "I have to see Rosa now!"

Without bothering to acknowledge the woman who took care of Rosa, Cecil sprinted up the stairs, two steps at a time, and threw open the door to Rosa's room.

Cecil barely heard the others entering the house and politely introducing themselves to the woman, since his eyes were now transfixed on Rosa. As he knelt down at her bedside with her hands in his, Rydia and Edward walked in.

Cecil and Rydia watched Edward as he dug into his pocket and extracted the Sand Pearl before giving it to Cecil. He pressed the pearl up against Rosa's burning forehead, and the pearl began to glow, radiating a silvery-white light. In about a minute, Rosa's body temperature was much lower and the boils had mostly vanished. Much to Cecil's immense relief, she slowly opened her eyes.

"Uhhhnn..." Rosa moaned as she tiredly rolled her head to side to side. She let out a violent cough before she noticed Cecil. "Cecil," she whispered before slowly rising up from the bed. "You're alive!" She threw her arms around Cecil, but this time, he did not reciprocate. He glared at Rosa with his hands on his hips.

"What were you thinking, Rosa?!" He yelled, causing her to suddenly back away.

"They told me that you died in the earthquake at Mist," she cried. "But I knew it couldn't be true!" She wiped away a single tear that rolled down her cheek.

"Please, Rosa...forgive me," Cecil tried to say in a calm tone, "but I keep hearing all this talk about a man named Golbez. What is it about?" Rosa gasped, surprised that Cecil had heard that name.

"He took your position in the Red Wings," she said. "His Mjesty has been acting more and more peculiar since Golbez came to Baron. He just isn't himself anymore. I'm not sure, but I have a feeling that Golbez has been manipulating the King so that he could have the Crystals all to himself. The Water Crystal that you took from Mysidia, the Fire Crystal of Damcyan, the Wind Crystal of Fabul, and the Earth Crystal of Troia."

"The Fire Crystal was already taken," Edward interrupted.

"This is Edward, the Prince of Damcyan," Cecil explained to Rosa. "It's thanks to him that we were able to save you." Edward smiled at Cecil and then turned to Rosa before he quickly bowed his head.

"And this is Rydia," Cecil told Rosa while gesturing to Rydia. "She is a summoner from the village of Mist."

"Do you feel better now?" Rydia asked.

"I do," Rosa smiled. "Thank you, Rydia...and you, Edward. But if Damcyan has fallen, then Golbez will be swift to move against Fabul. We need to..." Rosa quickly turned away and coughed violently, covering her mouth and closing her eyes.

"You need to rest," Cecil ordered. "We will go to Fabul and warn them."

"How, though?!" Edward cried. "There's only one road to Fabul. It lies through Mt. Hobs, and the path is blocked by a wall of thick, impenetrable ice!"

"Rydia," Rosa smiled. "You're a summoner. You can cast Fire, can't you?"

"No..." Rydia shook her head and stared down at the floor. "I can't."

"Surely you've learned the spell, though? It's the most elementary of the..." Rosa began to cough again.

"You're in no condition to be going with us, Rosa," Cecil told her.

"Please, I'll be fine. I'm a White Mage, remember? You'll need me so that I can heal any of you!"

"Cecil," Edward said softly, "Rosa wants to be with you."

Cecil and Rosa stared at each other for a few seconds. "All right," Cecil sighed. "We'll all go together. It will be dark soon, and we leave early tomorrow morning. You should stay here and get some rest. The rest of us will go to the Inn and buy our supplies."

"Okay, then," Rosa nodded. "I'll see you tomorrow morning."

...

After shopping for equipment and supplies, Cecil, Rydia, and Edward checked into the Inn for the night. Cecil and Rydia fell asleep almost instantly, but even though Edward was just as tired, he could not fall asleep because Anna's face always showed up whenever he tried to close his eyes. He then gave up on sleep, putting on his boots and his cloak before quietly sneaking out of the Inn.

Kaipo was truly a beautiful town at night. Candles were lit beside every window in every building to serve as a guide to those who were lost in the open desert. Edward found himself involuntarily walking towards a small patch of sand underneath two palm trees, and it was located right by the edge of the lake, a beach just for couples. His and Anna's personal oasis. The place where they met and had spent so much time together every night.

"I am so lost without you, Anna," he cried. He pulled out a miniature harp from his bag and began to play it. Suddenly, he heard a hissing noise and a Sahagin appeared in front of him.

"Agh!" He gasped in surprise as the Sahagin attempted to swipe its clawed hand at him, but it struck his harp instead, producing a cacophony of noise that made it shriek and stumble back.

Suddenly, the sky flashed with a brilliant white light before Edward's breath was taken away. Anna's ghost appeared just over the water a few feet in front of him. Her hands were held across her chest, and her long brown hair was blowing softly in the wind.

"Be brave, my love!" Anna's spirit called to him.

"Anna!" Edward cried. He could not believe this was happening. However, he was snapped back to the current situation as the Sahagin lunged at Edward. He held his harp up against his face to protect himself.

"You are stronger than you know," Anna smiled. "You must believe in yourself!"

"I...I will try!" Edward said as he began to play a haunting melody on his harp. The Sahagin shrieked at the sound of the music and it crumbled into dust.

"I knew you could do it!" Anna applauded. "Edward, I can be with you but for this moment. The Spirit calls me onward, to become a part of it again."

Edward dropped the harp and ran right to the water's edge. "Don't leave me, Anna!" He pleaded.

"Edward," Anna said, "you must be brave. Golbez cannot be allowed to have the crystals. You gave your love to me once. Now share it with all the world!" After pressing her fingers to her lips, she held her hand outward and blew a kiss to Edward before she vanished into the starry night sky.

"Anna, my love," Edward moaned, "I...I will try. But what would you have me do?"


	7. Bombs Away

Chapter 7: Bombs Away

"Good morning, everyone!" A female voice rang throughout the Inn and startled Cecil. The voice belonged to Rosa, and when Cecil opened his eyes, he was speechless once he noticed how quickly she had recovered. She looked just as good as she did before she caught the Desert Fever. To Cecil, she was beautiful no matter what condition she was in.

"Morning..." Edward moaned as he slowly rose up out of bed. Rydia woke up much faster than Edward, and upon seeing Rosa, she had a look of joy on her face that only a seven-year-old could portray accurately.

"Rosa!" Rydia squealed. "You're well again!"

"I feel much better, Rydia," Rosa smiled. "I woke up early and shopped a little more this morning." She dug out a multitude of arrows from her satchel to show Rydia. "Are you ready? You will have to make use of your magic and conquer your fears." Rydia shuddered a bit upon hearing what she said. "You will be okay, Rydia, I'm certain. Did you sleep well last night?" Rydia nodded before Rosa turned to address the guys. "How about you? Did you sleep well?"

"Could have been better," Edward said. "I don't really want to talk about what happened."

"I'm awake," Cecil said before he retreated to dress up in his armor. When he made his presence known as the Dark Knight, they all went back to the house where Rosa stayed for the past while. The woman who took care of Rosa made a delicious breakfast for the whole party.

After stuffing themselves full with food, Rosa thanked her caretaker before she, Cecil, Rydia, and Edward strutted through the town of Kaipo one last time and emerged into the scorching, barren desert, where Edward's hovercraft was still waiting.

They all piled into the hovercraft, and they journeyed over the northern shoals that led to Mt. Hobs.

"I really hope that the ice will be gone," Rydia whispered.

"You can do it," Rosa smiled, laying a hand on her shoulder. "I know you can."

Before long, they reached the base of the mountain, and sure enough, they were greeted by a massive wall of solid ice.

Rosa knelt down beside Rydia. "Rydia," she said, "will you please try to cast Fire?"

Rydia shook her head and turned away from the group.

"You can do it," Rosa encouraged her. "I know you can!"

"I...I don't want to!" Rydia whimpered.

"You don't want to?"

"I HATE FIRE!" Rydia shrieked and began to cry. She felt as much of a coward as Edward had been.

Cecil walked up to Rosa and whispered in her ear. "Her village was destroyed by fire, thanks to the ring we delivered."

Rosa knelt down once more to Rydia's height. "Listen to me, Rydia," she said softly. "You're the only one among us with the power to melt that ice. We can't make you do it." Rydia wiped a tear from her eye. "But unless we make it through here to Fabul, a lot of other people will be hurt. I know it's not easy, Rydia, but please, you must be brave!"

"We all must," Edward said. He gently laid his right hand on Rydia's shoulder. "You're the only one who can do this."

Even though Cecil's face was hidden by his helmet, he smiled at Rydia as she turned around and pushed her way in front of the ice. She raised her arms and took a deep breath before calling out: "FIRE!"

At once, the ground beneath the ice erupted in bright-orange flames. The fire relentlessly licked the ice, and the ice melted away in mere seconds. Rydia had a wide smile on her face.

"I did it!" Rydia exclaimed.

"Rydia, that was incredible!" Rosa beamed.

"Great job, Rydia," Edward said before giving her a thumbs-up.

"Fabul is just to the east. Let's go," Cecil told the others as they started heading up the mountain.

...

"What's with all these undead creatures?" Cecil wondered as he effortlessly swung his sword through a Spirit, which quietly vanished in a swirling purple cloud.

"They just won't end, but I'm having fun," Rydia almost chanted as she used her newly acquired Fire spell on a skeleton. Rosa finished off the charred skeleton by aiming her bow and shooting an arrow through its skull. Nearby, Edward was playing a tune on his harp to lull a gargoyle to sleep.

After an hour and a half of climbing and battling monsters, they reached the summit, only to discover that they were on the sidelines of a raging battle. A muscular man prepared to face off against four Domovois and an enormous Bomb that not even Cecil or Edward knew.

Cecil looked at the man. He was bare-chested and his skin was covered in red tattoos. He was completely bald except for a long, thin braid of blond hair that dangled past his muscular shoulders. His mouth was completely obscured by a thick dark-blond mustache. Shiny red orbs hung below his ears.

"Who's that?" Rydia asked.

"Clad like that...he's a monk of Fabul!" Edward said as the whole party drew back.

"HUT! HUAH!" The monk said as he sent two Domovois flying off the cliff with a flying kick, and he punched the third one in the face before kicking the last one in the side. Cecil, Rosa, Rydia, and Edward gaped at him, astonished of his sheer power.

With the Domovois gone, the only remaining foe was the Bomb.

"That's no ordinary Bomb!" Cecil cried.

"We can't just stand here!" Rydia said, with might in her voice. "We have to help him!" They all ran to join the monk.

The monk threw several punches and kicks at the Mom Bomb while Cecil and Rosa pummeled her with their own physical attack methods. Rydia cast a shower of ice on the Bomb, and Edward stood in the back and played his harp to heal everyone's wounds.

The Mom Bomb grew angrier and angrier as the battle went on, and without warning she expanded into a terrifying, fiery monster that was at least six times her original size.

The monk finally turned to face the group. "She's storing up energy," he warned. "We have to tighten our defenses NOW!" The monk then knelt down as he braced himself for what was to eventually come.

Rosa was quick to react. "PROTECT!" She screamed, and a transparent shell enveloped everyone. Cecil, Rosa, Rydia and Edward all braced as well, and the light from the Bomb became so bright that they had to shield their eyes.

"SHE'S ABOUT TO EXPLODE!" The monk screamed, and the Mom Bomb blew up into an enormous fireball that shot almost a hundred feet in the air. The force of the blast sent everyone flying backwards, and they landed painfully on the ground, cuts, burns, and bruises making themselves known.

"Cura!" Rydia cried, and a shower of white light sparkled over everyone, healing their wounds. As the light subsided, they saw that six smaller Bombs, three orange and three gray, had taken the larger Bomb's place. Before the others managed to draw their weapons, the monk had already sprung into action, and his legs moved so fast that it was almost impossible to tell whether he was taking on a single Bomb or all of them. In a matter of seconds, the Bombs all vanished into dust, and the monk turned to face the people who helped him.

"You have my deepest gratitude," he said in a deep voice. "My name is Yang Fang Leiden, and I am the grandmaster of the monks of Fabul. Mt. Hobs is our place for training, but instead we found death. A great host of monsters waylaid us, and I am the only one who survived. My monks were fine, strong men, but even they could do little."

"We're on our way to Fabul," Cecil told Yang. "A man named Golbez has seized control of Baron, and he is using their military forces to steal the world's crystals."

Yang gasped in surprise and fear. "And does he intend to come for our Wind Crystal as well?"

"Yes," Edward said, "and soon. He has already taken the Fire Crystal from Damcyan. And Fabul will be next."

"With our monks slain, the castle is all but undefended! The few remaining in Fabul do not have the proper training." Yang said. "If Baron's army strikes Fabul, we would have no hope of fending off their attacks."

"The monsters that beset you were most likely sent by Golbez as well," Rosa said gloomily.

"To eliminate us, and leave Fabul defenseless..." Yang moaned.

"If that is true, he may be moving against your kingdom as we speak. We must hurry!" Cecil urged. "We will aid you however we can."

"I am grateful for the offer," Yang replied, "but there's no reason for you to be dragged any further into this."

"Our stake in this conflict is no less than yours," Cecil said before gesturing to the others.

"I am Edward, the Prince of Damcyan," Edward introduced himself.

"Rosa and I, Cecil, are from Baron," Cecil continued. "And this child here," he said as he gestured to Rydia, "she lost all she knew because...I allowed this enemy to deceive me."

Rydia opened her mouth to speak further, but no words came to her.

"I will most humbly accept whatever help you are willing to provide," Yang spoke with sincere gratitude, bowing down to his four new companions. "Fabul lies east beyond the mountains. We will make haste at once!"

As they made their way down the eastern slope of the mountain, they could see the kingdom of Fabul in the distance. Fabul Castle was a large structure that had the sweeping rooflines of an ancient Japanese fortress. It was surrounded by a moat, and the northern oceans were only a few hundred feet behind it. Unlike Baron, there seemed to be no town nearby. Just the castle.

Once they reached Fabul Castle, two monks who stood guard at the entrance gates suddenly ran up to Yang.

"Master Yang! His Royal Highness awaits you!"

"We shall meet him now," Yang calmly replied. The guards opened the gates and followed Yang towards the throne room.

Two more monks guarded the entrance to the throne room, and upon seeing Yang, they immediately opened the doors, revealing a large room with wood-beamed walls. A few steps led up to the throne where King Fabul was waiting. He was an older, muscular man who was dressed in gold and violet robes, and his sapphire-blue crown sat on top of his head, barely covered by a thin sheet of light-gray hair. He immediately stood up from his throne and strode towards Yang.

"Yang, you've returned!"

"Your Majesty," Yang mumbled as he bowed. Cecil, Rosa, Rydia, and Edward did the same.

"You may rise," King Fabul gestured. "You look disturbed, Yang. What happened?"

"I return with urgent news, Your Highness," Yang spoke. "A man named Golbez is coming for our Wind Crystal, and he has backup in the form of Baron's military."

"What?" King Fabul cried in disbelief. "Are...are you sure of that?"

"These people came before you to warn us," Yang said as he gestured to Cecil and the others.

"And who might they be?" The King asked, with a slight tone of uneasiness in his voice.

"We have no time for introductions, Your Highness," Cecil asserted. "Your castle must be secured immediately!"

"Your armor would have you for one of Baron's own Dark Knights," King Fabul spoke in a low tone. "Why should I trust you?"

"Their trustworthiness is proven, Your Highness," Yang intervened. "I lost my men while at Mt. Hobs, and I fought for my own life when they came upon me. They could have stood and watched me die, but instead they helped me."

"I assure you," Cecil warned, "that your enemy will not wait as you do."

"Please," Rosa begged, her arms clasped in front of her chest, "you must believe us!"

The King's face showed no further emotion, as if he thought everyone was making up a story. Edward decided to walk up to King Fabul and make his presence known.

"It is such an honor to see you again, Your Highness," Edward said as he bowed down respectfully. "It's been many a day."

"If it isn't Prince Edward!" The King gasped. "You've grown tremendously since we last met! How fares Damcyan?"

"It has fallen," Edward replied. "The Fire Crystal is ours no more. I lost my mother and father, even my..." he sniffled and a tear fell from his eye, "even my beloved Anna. Tell me that you will not let your own land suffer the same fate as ours!"

"Forgive me," King Fabul said and frowned. "I only found it hard to believe that you spoke the truth, but it seems you do. Still, without our monks, there is very little we can do. Would you please help us in our defense?"

"These men have both immense strength and courage," Yang explained. "By your leave, I would have them stand with me on the front line of our defense."

"If that is your wish, I will trust your judgement," the King nodded. He looked at Rosa and Rydia. "Might you two ladies assist our healers?"

"Certainly, Your Highness," Rosa nodded. Rydia bowed down quickly and then stood up again.

"I will warn everyone of the impending siege," King Fabul reassured them. "My kingdom's fate, then, is in your hands."

"Your Highness," Yang deeply bowed again before turning around and making his way towards the doors. "Cecil, Edward, follow me."

Cecil was just about to turn around when Rosa touched his shoulder. "Be careful," she whispered. Cecil nodded and then turned to Rydia. "Rydia, keep Rosa safe for me, you hear?"

"Yes!" Rydia exclaimed before she and Rosa bade farewell to the men as they marched out towards the front gates.


	8. Betrayed By a Friend

Chapter 8: Betrayed By a Friend

At the front entrance to Fabul Castle, Cecil, Edward, and Yang stood just outside the gates, and guards were stationed high up in several towers. The entire castle was under lockdown, and every single inhabitant was hidden, whether it was in a shop, the Inn, the dungeons, or, in the case of the King, Queen, and their children, inside their quarters. Behind the throne room, in a secret chamber, the Wind Crystal sat on its dais. The task was only a matter of holding Baron's forces at bay and not allowing them to reach the room where the crystal was.

"Enemies!" One of the guards shouted. Three cloaked figures were approaching, and everyone prepared for battle just before they were about to cross the moat.

"Attack!" Yang cried, and the trio charged towards the intruders.

Cecil and Yang made quick work of the first wave, and a blur of swinging blades and fists knocked the enemies out cold in mere seconds. Edward was frantically tossing healing potions to Cecil and Yang.

Just as everyone managed to regain their bearings, the droning of airship engines drowned out every other sound.

"The Red Wings are here!" Another guard shouted. Explosions rocked the castle, and everyone covered their heads as bits of rock came crashing down.

"We'll die like dogs out here!" Cecil cried.

"Retreat to the keep, everyone!" Yang called out, and they ran inside and locked the heavy gates.

"Forgive me, everyone, for drawing you into this hopeless fight," Yang apologized.

"I've told you before," Cecil said, "that this fight is as much ours as it is anyone else's." He had a determined look on his face. "And it isn't lost yet!"

Suddenly, a loud boom was heard as the gates began to buckle inward.

Edward gasped. "They're breaking through!"

With a loud crash, the gates flew off their hinges as a horde of soldiers and monsters broke through. The apprentice monks were helplessly knocked sideways by the mob, and there was nothing that Cecil and the others could do except run for now.

"We cannot hold them here! Fall back!" Yang ordered.

"Isn't the throne room just upstairs?" Cecil worried as they sprinted down the hallway towards another door.

"It's all right," Yang sighed as they stood in front of the door, guarding it. "The King has taken cover elsewhere with the women and children. We need only draw the enemy here..."

A nearby door broke down and two Baron Captains approached with gleaming, bloodstained swords.

"...and CRUSH THEM!"

Cecil unleashed a surge of dark energy on them, and with a swift flying kick from Yang, they were instantly killed, but then more monsters surged in.

"We have to fall back one last time," Yang panted, and they raced up the stairs to the throne room.

"Now that we're in the throne room," Yang ordered, "we must stand guard! Don't let them break in at all costs!"

Another monk slipped in and locked the large, heavy doors before more monsters could infiltrate the room. The monsters banged on the doors, but they would not give way.

"I locked the door for you, Master," the monk said before he leaned against it. Now that everyone was relatively safe, Edward offered some more potions to Cecil and Yang, who guzzled them down without any hesitation.

"Where is the crystal?" Cecil asked.

"In the chamber above us," Yang replied.

The other monk casually reached into his pocket and dug out the key. A click was heard, and the door was unlocked!

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Yang screamed. The monk shed his clothes and laughed as he transformed into a Sahagin. Yang defeated it with a single punch, but then the doors burst open and the entire room was quickly populated by monsters and Baronian guards.

"We have no choice," Yang said. "We'll make our last stand in the Crystal Room!"

Cecil and Edward followed Yang as they sprinted towards the chamber. Suddenly, Edward tripped over something and he fell to the floor.

"Edward!" Cecil cried. The horde of monsters growled as they began to surround the helpless man. "Quick, Yang!"

Yang jumped up and did a roundhouse kick, knocking enough of them out before they could harm Edward. Cecil grabbed his arm and they ran through the door to the Crystal Room. Yang immediately slammed the door and latched it.

The Crystal Room was totally silent. The Wind Crystal floated above its platform, its soft green light reflecting off the mirrored walls and floor. Everyone sighed with relief, knowing that the Wind Crystal was safe and sound.

Suddenly, the lock turned and the door opened. Cecil quickly unsheathed his sword, ready to strike at any moment.

"It's been some time, Cecil," a familiar voice resonated throughout the room. A figure stepped out of the shadows, but it was not a monster.

It was Kain Highwind.

"Kain!" Cecil rejoiced as he ran up to his best friend and threw his arms around the dragoon. "You're alive!"

"I am," Kain smiled, but his voice was cold.

"So, you'll fight, then?" Cecil eagerly asked.

"Of course!" Kain answered. "But Cecil, the one I'll fight is YOU!"

"Kain?!"

"A duel, Cecil!" Kain grinned before he laughed wildly.

"What do you mean?"

"Draw your blade!" Kain growled. He whipped out his lance as Cecil hesitantly gripped his dark sword.

"Why, Kain?" Cecil moaned as tears started to build up in his eyes.

"I will not answer your questions," Kain coldly replied just before he leaped high into the air and crashed down onto Cecil's head. The dark knight was immediately felled, and Kain stood directly on top of his back.

"What's come over you?" Cecil cried as Kain swung his lance and struck him in the head. Blood began to run down from his nose.

"Be silent," Kain hissed as he roughly removed Cecil's helmet. Edward and Yang just stood there, knowing that if they entered the fight, Kain could quickly kill them as well as Cecil with one swipe of his deadly lance.

Cecil coughed as Kain stomped on his back, causing him to bleed profusely from his nose and mouth.

"What's...come over...you?" Cecil weakly groaned while coughing up blood. Kain kicked his side and roughly flipped him over, exposing his chest. He then thrust his lance at Cecil and held it just an inch away from his nose.

"This is the end, Cecil," Kain said as his grip on the lance tightened. "Let me ease your suffering." The last thing Cecil witnessed was the tip of Kain's lance connecting with his forehead, and everything went black.


	9. Alone

Chapter 9: Alone

Cecil awoke a few minutes later after a strange liquid had been poured down his throat, and he opened his eyes to see a nearly empty vial containing a blood-red potion. Phoenix down.

"There," Edward whispered before turning towards the others.

"You'll do nothing!" Yang roared at Kain. The monk charged towards him, but the dragoon's lance swatted Yang away as if he was a fly.

"STOP!" A female voice cried out. Much to Cecil's immense relief, Rosa burst into the room, and Rydia trailed closely behind.

"Rosa..." Kain gasped, and he lowered his lance.

"Kain, please tell me you've not turned traitor!" Rosa cried.

Kain slammed the tip of his lance onto the floor and turned his back to everyone. He sobbed and buried his face in his hands. "Urgh...don't...look at me!"

"Kain," an ominous voice echoed throughout the room. "Why do you now hesitate?"

The outline of a large figure blocked the entrance to the chamber. Edward recognized him immediately.

"Golbez!"

Golbez was clad in black armor with golden accents from head to toe. Two enormous black horns protruded upwards from his helmet. A long black cape dragged on the floor behind him. His claw-like hands featured metal fingers that ended in needle-like points. He towered over everyone, and he had to have been at least seven feet tall, if not more. He first looked at Kain, then at Cecil.

"It's you," Cecil whispered. "The usurper!"

"So, you are Cecil," Golbez's voice boomed. "Allow me to give you something, a gift, to remember our meeting by!" His hand began to glow purple, and a massive wave of dark energy blasted Cecil halfway across the room. Everyone but Yang and Kain was frozen with horror.

"Let me through!" Yang roared and kicked Golbez with all of his strength, but his efforts proved to be futile as Golbez merely laughed and shrugged it off.

"I did not come to treat with worms like you," Golbez hissed as he unleashed another wave of dark energy that sent Yang and Rosa flying through the air. Rydia could only watch as her friends slammed to the marble floor.

"Kain," Golbez commanded, "Enough of this foolishness. Bring me the crystal."

"M'lord," Kain bowed before he walked towards the center of the room.

"Don't do it, Kain!" Rosa cried. Kain turned and paused just in front of the crystal, looking at her with a pained expression.

"Rosa, let it be!" Cecil warned as he began to pick himself up off the floor.

Golbez turned to look at Rosa. "Ohhh, you care for this one, do you? Then let me take her along as well." He grabbed Rosa by the arm and held her close to his chest, drowning out her screams. "To hold in trust until we are graced with the chance to meet again. Come, Kain."

Rosa writhed and struggled to free herself, but Golbez's hand completely wrapped around her body and held her tight.

"Rosa!" Cecil yelled. Before he could make a single move, Golbez had already disappeared in a flash of light. Kain walked over to Cecil, the Wind Crystal held tightly underneath his arm.

"It would seem your life is spared...for now." Kain said just before he jumped and disappeared.

"Kain, wait!" Cecil moaned. He was too late to do anything.

Rydia looked around at the fallen men before raising her arms and calling: "Cure!" Showers of blue light sparkled over their bodies, and they slowly regained consciousness and stood up.

"Are you all right?" Rydia asked.

"Yes, thank you, Rydia," Edward barely whispered. "But now they have Rosa."

"We could not even defend the crystal," Yang moaned while staring at the floor.

"Rosa..." Cecil sobbed.

"What's wrong with you all?" Rydia said, her voice slightly angry. "They took Rosa, but they didn't hurt her. We just need to rescue her! We can take the crystal back as well!"

"She's right," Edward said.

Yang stepped forward. "It's my turn to help you, Cecil. Let us rest, and then we'll think of a way we could free Rosa."

"Yes...thank you," Cecil said, his voice barely audible. He tiredly led everyone to the Fabul Inn, and drowsiness overcame him as soon as he climbed into bed.

...

Cecil, Rydia, Edward, and Yang woke up early the next morning. After getting dressed, they stood in the lobby of the Inn to come up with a plan for the day. Anything to get Cecil's mind off of Rosa.

"Listen, everyone," Cecil began. "If we're to take on Golbez, we'll need an airship. But the only man who knows how to build one is in Baron."

"Is there any way we could enter the kingdom?" Yang asked.

"The Red Wings compromise the brunt of Baron's power," Cecil replied. "Its maritime forces are relatively weak. Therefore, if we go, we go by sea."

"Then we'll need a boat. How will we get one?" Rydia asked.

"I will ask His Highness to lend us one," Yang calmly answered. "You've done so much for him, and for our kingdom. He will not refuse such a simple plea."

"Thank you," Cecil replied with sincere gratitude.

Yang held his hand up to his head for a few seconds, trying to think of what to say next.

"That dragoon...who was he?" Yang asked.

"His name is Kain," Cecil replied, staring down at the floor with a look of disbelief on his face. "He is...or was...my best friend. We had sworn to fight Baron together."

"I see," Yang frowned. "I'm very sorry." After a few seconds of silence, he decided to change the subject. "We have to go to Baron, so let's go talk to His Highness."

"Right," Cecil said. "We must stop Golbez and save Rosa, so let's go."

...

"Your ship has been readied for you," King Fabul told everyone as he sat on the edge of his large four-poster bed. His arms and part of his face were covered in bandages, but he was otherwise okay. "Yang, you will go with them and aid them in any way you can."

"Yes, Your Highness," Yang bowed his head. King Fabul then turned to Cecil with a radiant smile on his face.

"There are no words of gratitude for such a sacrifice as you have made, young lord of Baron," the King said, bowing his head slightly. "You defended my people selflessly, and lost Lady Rosa for it."

The King then stood up and walked over to a small wooden table in the far right corner of the room. Golden rays of sunlight streamed into the room through an open window, and the light shone on a long, brown paper package that rested upon the table, which the King gingerly lifted up into his arms.

He then handed it to Cecil. It was very heavy.

"Go on, open it," the King smiled.

Cecil tore open the packaging, revealing a thin but sturdy jet-black blade. The hilt, made of pure silver, was encrusted with diamonds and rubies. Cecil turned it over in his hands, admiring how the sunlight gleamed off of the pristine weapon.

"I want you to have this sword," King Fabul explained. "It belonged to a dark knight who once visited these lands. Consider it a token of my thanks, for your valiant efforts in the defense of my kingdom. I believe that this sword was previously called the Deathbringer."

"Thank you so much, Your Highness," Cecil warmly replied.

"I will warn you, however," King Fabul said, staring at Cecil, "that a dark sword will never avail you against true evil. It is, after all, a weapon of darkness. Beyond this, you will have to rely on the strength that already lies within you. Please, stop Golbez."

"We will not fail, Your Highness," Yang said, bowing deeply.

"Should Golbez obtain all the crystals, the world will face catastrophe such as it has never known," the King warned. "I trust that you will not let that happen. Safe travels, everyone."

"Get well soon, Your Highness," Edward said before he bowed.

"Let's go to the harbor now," Yang said. "Sheila is waiting for us."

"Sheila?" Rydia questioned.

"My wife," Yang answered. "Sorry that I didn't mention her yet. She's nice most of the time, but she can get...a little violent at times. I haven't seen her at all since I last went to Mt. Hobs to train the other monks, so she might be cranky today. You've been warned."

After navigating Fabul Castle's many corridors, hallways, and staircases, they finally found themselves outside in the late morning sun. There was not a single cloud in the sky.

Cecil donned his helmet and lowered the visor as they reached the northern dock, where a large, elegant ship was anchored in place. The crew had just finished all of their preparations, and a long wooden ramp slid out from the side of the ship, joining it to the dock. A tall woman with violet hair stood by the gangway, and her gray eyes narrowed when she saw Yang.

"Yang! Oh, thank goodness you're okay!" The woman joyfully cried.

"Thanks to these brave souls," Yang smiled, gesturing at Cecil, Rydia, and Edward. "They saved me as well as Fabul!"

"Then you have my gratitude," she replied back, and then she looked at the others. "Oh, forgot to introduce myself. My name is Sheila."

"You're unhurt?" Yang asked her.

"Of course I'm unhurt!" Sheila screeched. "Whose wife do you think I am?! A few soldiers tried to bust their way in, but I busted them back out with my fryin' pan!" She whipped out a large black frying pan from behind and playfully swung it at Yang, who quickly dodged it.

"Well," Sheila said in a much calmer tone, "you take care, everyone. Show them what you're made of!"

"We definitely will!" Yang said with determination, clenching his fists. "I trust you'll handle things here while I'm away."

"Oh, don't you worry about that!" Sheila replied and quickly kissed her husband. "Take care of yourself, you hear?"

Everyone waved at her as they boarded the ship. The Captain walked up to his new passengers.

"So you're Lord Cecil, then, eh?" The Captain introduced himself. His voice, like Cid's was very gruff. "Heard all about ye. Rest easy. We'll be laying anchor in Baron before you know it! Best not linger any longer. Anchors aweigh, boys!"

"Aye-aye, Captain!" The crew shouted. The vessel slowly drifted away from the harbor, and in just ten minutes they were out in the open ocean.

"What do you mean to do when we reach Baron?" Yang asked Cecil.

"We must find Cid," Cecil answered. "He is the engineer of Baron's airship fleet. He should be able to help us."

Yang bowed slightly and put his hands together as if he was praying. "Then let us hope that he is still safe."

...

The excitement of the voyage began to calm down as the ship neared the halfway point on its journey to Baron. Despite the fact that it was still relatively warm outside, Edward was shaking slightly.

"Are you cold, Edward?" Rydia asked.

"No, it's nothing," Edward mumbled as he shook his head. "Maybe I'm just seasick."

Just after he finished his sentence, a violent force rocked the ship, and everyone fell to the ground.

"What was that?!" Cecil yelled as he stood back up.

Suddenly, something enormous leapt out of the water, made a graceful arc in the air, and crashed back down with a huge splash.

"Impossible..." a crew member gasped.

"The tales were true!" Another sailor cried.

"It's him!"

"The Lord of All Waters!"

"Leviathan!" The Captain cried just as the ship quaked again. The Captain madly turned the ship's wheel, trying to steer clear of the waves, but to no avail.

"Don't stand about!" The Captain shouted to his crew. "Reef the sails, ye witless dogs!"

The creature slammed into the ship with great speed, tilting it way over onto its port side. Another nudge rolled it onto the starboard side. Rydia lost her footing and stumbled overboard.

"AHHHHH!" She screamed as she plunged into the water.

Edward gasped. "Rydia!"

"I'm going in to save her!" Yang cried as he jumped overboard.

"Rydia! Yang!" Cecil cried as he ran to the edge of the ship.

"Ahhh!" Edward screamed as another wave crashed over the railing and knocked him down to the floor. Sailors were launched into the air and thrown overboard by yet another massive wall of water. The Captain was knocked from his post and slammed against the ship's wheel, rendering him completely unconscious as he fell face-first.

Cecil ran to check on the remaining survivors, but a loud roar overwhelmed every other sound as the beast rose up from the sea. He was a blue scaly creature that looked part-snake, part-dragon. With an ear-piercing scream, his massive jaws opened and everything went black.

...

Cecil woke up to find himself on a beach, the morning tide slowly moving in and out of the ocean. He had survived the encounter with Leviathan, but the ship and everyone on it, including his friends, were nowhere to be found.

"Rydia?"

"Edward?"

"Yang?"

Total silence.

"RYDIA!"

"EDWARD!"

"YANG!"

Again, total silence. Cecil sighed and lowered his head.

"I'm...alone."


	10. Mysidia

Chapter 10: Mysidia

After about ten minutes of walking through a dense forest, a small town could be seen off in the distance. It looked dreadfully familiar, and once Cecil noticed the entrance sign, a small piece of wood nailed to a stake, he could not believe his eyes.

 _~Mysidia~_

"Oh my god," Cecil whispered out loud as all the horrible memories that he tried to banish came rushing back to him. _It was only last week when I stole their crystal! How could they forgive me? What do I say?! "Excuse me, I need to access the Devil's Road?" There's no way they would help me, not after what I've done. But I have to save Rosa! If I tell the Elder about my situation, maybe I could convince him to open up their end of the Devil's Road so that I can access Baron! Rosa's life depends on it!_

Taking a deep breath, the Dark Knight steeled himself and walked through the entrance gates. He was greeted almost immediately by hateful stares from the villagers. Taking a look around, he saw that the town was not much different than before the siege, except for a thin coating of black soot on most of the little concrete shops and houses. The gravel road that was used to access those shops and houses led to the Tower of Prayers, a huge building with a spire that towered hundreds of feet into the air. The Elder lived there and so did the Water Crystal...before Cecil stole it with his own hands under King Baron's orders.

Cecil decided to head towards the Inn so that he could gather some information before talking to the Elder.

The Inn was nearly empty except for the Innkeeper and a lone citizen sweeping up the floor. Cecil noticed a large poster near the Innkeeper's desk.

Baron stole our Crystal.

Baron stole our friends.

Never forgive, and never forget.

Cecil immediately gagged and turned away, feeling as if he was about to throw up. He decided to walk up the staircase that led to the second floor, where he found several people sitting and drinking at a bar. They immediately turned and glared at him.

"You have no business here," the bartender growled and pointed to the stairs. "Get out!"

"I must ask a question!" Cecil pleaded. "I need to know how to gain access to the Devil's Road! A friend of mine is in serious danger!"

"Friend, schmiend," a customer said. "The Devil's road was closed to keep Baronian scum, like you, out of here! Only the Elder can open it again, but he'll never do so as long as you're all dead. Now, begone!"

Cecil ran down the stairs and out the door, hastily making his way toward the Tower of Prayers. To his surprise, the double doors immediately opened for him as soon as he reached the top of the stairs. They closed silently behind him.

A majestic staircase soared upwards before him, and Cecil knew that it led straight to the Crystal Room, the room where this madness all began. A figure was walking down the stairs to meet him. The Elder.

He looked very old, way older than when Cecil last saw him. He was completely bald except for the brown hair growing out of his cheeks, and his long brown beard hung over his red and gray robes.

"You're the dark knight who came before," the Elder said with a tone that carried hatred and anger. "Why have you returned to this hallowed hall?"

"My name is Cecil Harvey," Cecil calmly replied. "Until recently, I served as Lord Captain of Baron's airship fleet. When I came before, I did so at the orders of my King, which I lacked the courage to disobey."

"You came to apologize, then?" The Elder asked. His eyes narrowed slightly. "Words do not heal wounds, dark knight, nor do they restore life's flame for those whose candles you have doused."

Cecil hung his head in remorse.

"Look at me," the Elder whispered, his tone suddenly calm. He placed a hand under Cecil's chin so that Cecil could look directly into his eyes. "I do see a glimmer of light in you that did not show itself before. I will hear your words. Go on."

"A man named Golbez has taken control of Baron, and I want to stop him," Cecil explained. "I was on my way to rescue a friend he holds captive when Leviathan struck our ship. The fate of my companions is unknown."

"Cecil, that was no doubt a part of the test that has been ordained for you," the Elder said. "As long as you lean upon that dark sword for strength, you have absolutely no hope of defeating the evil foe you face. You hunt a monster, but in doing so you become one. Slowly but surely, the darkness will taint your soul as well, until one day nothing else remains. If you truly wish to cleanse yourself of darkness and face this man of whom you speak, you must go to Mt. Ordeals in the east. Destiny awaits you there."

"But my friend...she is in danger!" Cecil protested. "My time is limited!"

"This friend means much to you, doesn't she?" The Elder asked. "But you must not let fear drive you to haste. The fate that hangs about your shoulders is one far greater than you know. First, you must ascend the mountain, then you would trade your dark sword for one of light. Should the hallowed light deem you worthy, you will become a Paladin, a warrior of virtue. But, you must know that it will be no easy trial. Many are the men who scaled Mt. Ordeals, and no one came back alive. Will you try where all others have failed?"

"I will," Cecil said with determination.

"Good," the Elder nodded. "But you will have little chance with that dark sword alone. I shall provide two mages to accompany you. Palom! Porom!"

Tiny footsteps were heard, and a girl who was even younger than Rydia rushed towards the Elder. Her light-brown hair was pulled up into a relatively short ponytail. She wore a striped orange and white shirt, with an emerald-green vest slung over it. She quickly bowed down in front of the Elder.

"Did you need something?" Her voice was as squeaky as a baby mouse.

"Where is Palom?" The Elder asked.

"Oh, that brother of mine," she moaned. She put her fingers to her lips and let out a shrill whistle.

Suddenly, another small figure appeared in a puff of smoke. He looked almost identical to the girl, except his hair was slightly darker and his ponytail shorter. He wore a striped green and white shirt, and a long red cape trailed behind him.

He smirked at Cecil. "So you're that filthy dark knight from Baron! I'm only helping you because he told me to. You'd better be thankful!" He blew a raspberry at Cecil and laughed.

Cecil did not know how to respond, especially since the boy was acting so immaturely towards him.

"So...these are the two mages...?" Cecil asked hesitantly.

"Yes," the Elder nodded. "They're twins. Palom," he gestured to the rather obnoxious boy, "and Porom." The girl turned to Cecil and bowed her head. "They are young and still in their apprenticeship, but I can definitely vouch for their abilit-"

"What he means is that I am the most esteemed magical prodigy in all of Mysidia!" Palom interrupted. "And you're incredibly lucky to have me along!"

"PALOM!" The Elder roared. "This is for your training as much as it is for him!"

Porom looked at Cecil. "Your name is Cecil, right?" She asked sweetly. "Pleased to meet you." She glared at her brother. "PALOM!"

"Right..." Palom yawned. "Nice to meet you. Can we go now?"

"Yes," the Elder nodded. "The trials of the mountain await. Palom, Porom...I trust that you will not fail in this task." He watched Palom and Porom as they led Cecil back outside and down the stairs.

Once the town of Mysidia was behind them, Palom and Porom guided Cecil through the forest towards Mt. Ordeals. Palom took immense pride in showing off his black magic skills against the various monsters they encountered, and Porom demonstrated her white magic spells, such as Cura, on the smaller enemies to keep them alive so that they could build up strength and stamina.

After an hour of hiking through the forest, they reached a dreary, gray peak that stuck out like a sore thumb among the lush grass they were standing on.

"That's Mt. Ordeals," Porom said as she pointed to their destination. "Let's go!"

"Yeah," Palom nodded. "It's full of undead spirits, probably from those who failed to climb before. Something about seeking spiritual redemption or whatever."

Once the trio reached the base of the mountain, they were shocked to encounter a raging fire that was blocking their path.

"Now what do we do?" Cecil asked.

"Well, that's a stupid question!" Palom snapped. "Leave it to me!" Porom rolled her eyes in response. "BLIZZARA!"

Palom had cast the spell far faster than anyone else Cecil had ever seen. In less than a second, a sheet of ice and snow instantly doused the fire before disappearing into a hissing vortex of white steam.

"And that, my friends, is how it's done!" Palom boasted while jumping up and down. Porom sighed and gave her brother a hard slap on the head.

"Palom!" She barked. "How many times has our Elder said you mustn't be so arrogant? Let's continue onward!" Cecil led the way, and Porom grabbed Palom by the arm and dragged him along.

...

Meanwhile, in an unknown location, Rosa was being held captive in a large room on the top floor of a tower. The cold steel wall that she was chained to glowed with a pulsating blue light, as did the other walls. An ominous guillotine-like blade hung right above her, swinging ever so slightly. Golbez and Kain were keeping a close eye on Rosa as she tried to struggle against the heavy chains, all to no avail.

"Rosa," Golbez told her, "I have good news for you. Cecil is alive and well, and he is climbing Mt. Ordeals to become a Paladin. Well, we're not going to let that happen."

"So I guess his buddies never made it that far," Kain smirked. "Seems like he's got some pathetic little kids to keep him company."

"Kain," Golbez said, "I know you want to be the one to fight Cecil, but your place is here, guarding Rosa."

"Yes, Master," Kain obliged.

"Therefore, instead of you, I will be sending one of my four elemental archfiends to take care of him," Golbez continued. "This should provide some ample entertainment for us. Scarmiglione!"

At once, a hooded figure appeared and hobbled towards Golbez. All that could be seen beneath his filthy yellow robes were two glowing red eyes and long, mummified black claws that clicked on the floor with each step he took. Rosa screamed and struggled, but Kain and Golbez ignored her, their attention on the archfiend.

"Yesss Massster?" Scarmiglione hissed.

"This Cecil," Golbez said, "I fear that we can ignore him no longer. Let us clip his wings, before he flies beyond our reach. He is a dark knight. His blade will be all but useless against your legion of the undead, at least for now. He is ascending Mt. Ordeals even as we speak."

"He meansss to become a Paladin?" Scarmiglione asked.

"Yes," Golbez nodded. "And I mean to see that he does not. The manner of his passing I shall leave to you."

"Worry not," he reassured his master. "It shall be as you wish."

"Now, go have fun," Golbez said just before Scarmiglione disappeared in a cloud of red smoke. He then turned to Kain and Rosa. "Things have grown quite interesting, haven't they?"

"Yes, my lord," Kain replied. "But you had best not underestimate Cecil's strength."

"I understand your respect for him," Golbez calmly said. "He was once your best friend. And that is precisely why I sent Scarmliglione instead of you."

"But I should be the one to slay him!" Kain protested.

"As you so skillfully did before? No, as I said before, you're guarding Rosa." Golbez replied.

"Yes, my lord," Kain answered. He turned to Rosa, and held the tip of his lance less than an inch from her neck.

"Enjoy this moment, dear, because your friend will be dead soon," Kain whispered.

Rosa looked away, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Cecil," she sniffled. "Please hurry."

 _ **Author's note: Before I post any new chapters, I will take the time to flesh out the first three battles (Mist Dragon, Octomammoth, and Antlion), since they were way too short to be effective. I knew even when I posted my story that they needed to be revamped, and I'll admit I've been procrastinating a bit, but it needs to be done. Hang in there, everyone! :)**_


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